Control stamp



May 3, 1938.

F. GRUTTMANN Filed Sept. 11, 1955 CONTROL STAMP 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 3, 193-8. F. GRUTTMANN CONTROL STAMP 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 11, 1935' 5 Q @dd 6 7 raeM f KS May 3, 1938.

Ff. GRUTTMANN CONTROL STAMP Filed Sept. 11, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 vv1rv a A! v v a v r r vvv zAdrr r a a a! 1 an May 3, 193-8.

F. GRUTTMANN CONTROL STAMP Filed Sept. 11, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 y 1933' GRUTTMANN 2,115,767

CONTROL STAMP Filed Sept. 11, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 fz aa May 3, 1938. F. GRUTTMANN CONTROL STAMP Filed Sept. 11, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 //V YEA/TOE Iris Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 11, 1935, Serial No. 40,837

In Germany September 13, 1934 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a control stamp for bookkeeping purposes provided with an adding mechanism. A Printing stamps known in the art are provided with adjustable wheels, the rotation of which is transmitted to the wheels of the adding mechanism in such manner that the numerals appearing upon the adjusted printing wheels are added to the numerals readable upon the adding mechanism as the result of an operation thereof, and the invention provides improvements as to uniform printing as well as safety devices to prevent unauthorized use and unintentional adjustment of the type.

One of the objects of the invention is to hold the stamping mechanism in the casing of the stampwhile the handle thereof is depressed and to release it for printing only after the depression, whereas in the known types of control stamps the printing efiiciency depends on the greater or lesser force applied to depressing the .stamp. j

The invention further provides that a control key releases the handle of the stamp before it can be depressed.

Furthermore, the adjusting wheels comprise two segments which are coupled together in such a way that the segment for adjusting the type can be blocked during the stamping process while the second segment is movable to transfer the adjusted amount to the adding mechanism actuatedby a spring which is tensioned by the depression of the handle of the stamp.

By way of example, the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which for the sake of clearness only the parts required for understanding the invention are shown and unimportant known parts like the inking mechanism with its appurtenant devices and the control ticket are omitted.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the control stamp according to the invention with .the front wall of its casing removed; Fig. 2, a cross section thereof on the line II--II, of Fig. 1, with the stamping mechanism in depressed position; Fig. 3, a cross section on the line III-III, of, Fig. 1, showing the wheels of the adjusting and adding mechanism; Fig. 4, a vertical cross section on the line IV-IV, of Fig. 1, showing the drive of the adding mechanism; Fig. 5, a sectional view on the line IIIIII, of Fig. 1, showing the position of the adjusting wheels after adjustment; Fig. 6, a vertical cross section on the line III-III, of Fig. 1, showing the position of the swung in adding mechanism before taking over the amount; and Fig. '7, a vertical cross section on the line IIIIII, of Fig. 1, showing the position of the swung in adding mechanism after the amount has been taken over.

Referring to the drawings, the casing 23 is sub- 5 divided by two plates 24a and 24b enclosing between them the stamping and adding mechanisms into three compartments. The central compartment .4. serves for accommodating the stamping and adding mechanism, the right-hand compartment B holds the securing and locking means and the left-hand compartment 0 contains the drive for the adding mechanism. The stamping mechanism built in between the plates 24a and 24b is vertically displaceable on both sides in a downward direction along the guide rails and 8!, shown in Figs. 1 and 3, which are secured to the casing; this downward movement is carried out by means of the slide 82 attached to the plates 24a, 24b. The side rails 28a and 20 23b are vertically displaceable in the guide bridges 14 connected to the plates 24a and 24b, the two side rails being connected by the handle 20 of the stamping machine.

Fig. 2 shows the connection of the side rail 28a 25 with the plate 24a. One edge of the side rail 28a shown in its lower position is provided with teeth 83 meshing with the two teeth of a locking wheel .84 which are formed by a sector-shaped cut-out portion of the wheel. An immovable 3O arm 85 which is connected with the wheel 84 is controlled by the projection of the lever 86 and the spring 87. During the descent of the rail 28a the lower tooth of the wheel 84 is in engagement with the teeth 83 while during the upward movement of the rail 28a the upper tooth of the wheel 84 engages the teeth 83. The reversal takes place automatically by means of the arm 85 which is pressed downwardly upon the termination of the downward movement of the rail 28a by the pin 88. When the upward movement of the rail 28a is terminated, the arm 85 is pressed upwardly by the pin 89. The pins 88 and 89 are fixed upon the rail 2811. Figure 2 shows the lowermost position of the rail, the arm 85 having been moved downward. When the arm 85 is in this position, the rail 28a can only move upward, since the wheel 84 cannot rotate any further in the clockwise direction; it will be noted that the upper tooth can be moved away from the teeth 83 only when the wheel 84 is rotated counter-clockwise, i e. when the rail 28a is moved upward. When an upward movement is once begun, it cannot be interrupted, but must be continued to the end. Similarly, the downward movement must be continued to the end and cannot be changed in the middle. The side rail 28a is further provided with the pin 99 which releases the lever 9| on the plate 24a. The short arm of the lever 9| with the fulcrum 92 carries a spring 93 which with its other end is suspended from the hook 82a arranged on the casing 23. The side rail 28a is actuated by the spring 94 whose one end is connected with the pin 95 of the side rail 28a while the other end is suspended from the pin 96 of the guide web 14. The plate 240. is locked by means of a nose 8ia riveted to the plate 89a and engaged by the nose I I of the lever 9| when the stamping mechanism is in raised position. Only after the handle 29 with the side rail 29a is sufliciently depressed is the lever 9| swung out by the pin 99 and the locking released, so that the plate 24a with the stamping mechanism can move down under spring action.

To prevent unauthorized depression of the handle 29 the side rail 28a is provided with the pin 91 which in raised position is positioned above the nose 98 of a spring rail 99 which prevents the depression of the members 28 and 29. Release is effected by a motion of the spring rail 99 at right angles to the plane of the drawings by means of the lock I99. The case of the lock has a front slot |9I for the insertion of the key I92 and inside a displaceable and rotatable slotted pin I93 for the reception of the key I92. At the inner end of the pin or mandrel I93 a centric pin I94 and an eccentric pin I95 are provided, the pin I94 passing through a bore of the web I96 of the lever I91 rotatably positioned at I98 and drawn towards the shoulder of the mandrel I93 by the spring I99. In a slot N9 of the lever I91 2. pin III is guided which is seated on the wheel II2 moving the type wheels H3 and N4, the latter wheel serving for printing the control strip, not shown, inside the casing 23.

The stamp functions as follows:

When in inoperative position, the stamping mechanism 24 is locked against downward motion by the nose 8m engaged by the hook N5 of the lever 9| owing to the action of the spring 93. The handle 29 with the two side rails 28a and 28b is drawn up by the spring 94 and actuates the pin 89, thereby causing an upward movement of locking wheel 84 and its arm 85. The pin 91 of the rail 28a is above the nose 98 which, owing to the release of the eccentric I95 during the withdrawal of the key I92, lies in front of the pin 91 and prevents depression of the handle 29 and the rail 28a. The machine is locked against depression, the type wheels are drawn up and printing in this position is not possible.

To operate the control stamp the key I92 is inserted in the look I 99 and given a quarter turn. By the insertion of the key I92 the mandrel I93 is pressed inwardly in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 2 until the cut-out portions of the key I92 reach their proper positions in the slot |9I to enable a rotation of the key I92 along with the mandrel I93. When the mandrel I93 is moved in the longitudinal direction, the lever I91 which is pivoted at I98 is moved out of its inoperative position and is rotated in the direction of the arrow, so that the lever I91, by means of the slot I I9 and the pin III, turns the wheel IIZ which in its turn rotates the type Wheels 3 and H4 which carry the types. The extent to which the key I92 must be inserted into the lock depends upon the positions of the cut-out portions in the key I92, so that when different keys are used, the wheels II 3 and II 4 rotate to a different extent and, consequently, different letters appear in the printing. By these means it is easy to determine with what key the device was opened or what person has made the entry. When the notched key I92 is pushed in far enough to permit of its being turned, the mandrel I93 cooperates in the rotation and, with the eccentric I95, laterally lifts oif the spring rail 99 which with its nose 98 releases the pin 91 of the side rail 28a.

When pressure is exerted upon the handle 29, the rails 28a, 28b slide down and tension the spring 94 which acts to draw down the stamping mechanism which, however, is prevented from sliding down by the engagement between the nose H5 and the nose 8Ia of the casing 23. During farther depression of the handle 29 the shoulder 99 touches the cam of the lever 9|, presses it sideways and thereby disengages the two noses (Ho and H5. The stamping mechanism arranged on the plate 24a is now free to act, moves down owing to the action of the spring 94 and effects the impression. Simultaneously, the wheel 84 has been reversed by the pin 88, and the handle 29 and the stamping mechanism 24 are then raised into their initial position by means of the springs 93 and 94, then the noses 8|a and 5 come into engagement and the wheel 84 is reversed again by the pin 89.

When the key I92 is moved backward after having accomplished its purpose the spring rail 99 moves again into its normal position; the nose or projection 98 moves then under the pin 91 and. thereby locks the rails 28a and 28b, preventing an unauthorized person from moving them downwardly. The lever I91 is then rotated in its original position by the spring I99, whereby the key I92 is moved automatically out of the lock. The wheel 2 and the type wheels H3 and H4 are also brought back in their zero positions by the rotation of the lever I91.

For adjusting the type wheels and taking the adjusted amount over into the adding mechanism the following means shown in Figs. 3 to 7 are provided:

The left side rail 28b is controlled by the spring 12, Fig. 4, the one end of which is secured to the pin 13 of the guide bridge 14 while the other end is fastened to the pin 1| of the side rail 28b. During depression of the side rail 28b, the pin 61 of the side rail presses down a toothed rail 5|. This rail 5| is rotatable about a pin and is connected by a spring 52 with the guide bridge 14. The rail 5| slides past the wheel 59 during the downward movement and tensions this spring 52, which during its upward movement rotates the wheel 59 carried by the shaft 69 in the direction of the arrow, thereby supplying the adjusted amount to the adding mechanism.

The adjusting device consists of two parts and comprises the wheel segment I which isv firmly connected with. the axis 49 and the wheel segment 49 (Fig. 3), which is rotatably mounted upon the axis 49. The spiral spring 48 is also rotatably mounted upon the axis 49. One end of the spring 48 presses against a pin 48a of the segment I, while the other end presses against the pin 41 of the segment 46. Due to this arrangement, the two segments are resiliently coupled with each other, so that the segment 46 follows the movement of the segment I. For the purpose of convenient adjustment the wheel segment I is provided with an arm 2 projecting from the casing 23 and having a disc 3. During the adjustment, the adjusting wheel I rotates the type wheels 1 and 9, and the wheel segment 46 turns the number disc 6 by the wheel 5. In the same plane as the wheel 29 a wheel 3| is disposed, both wheels having segmental gaps 30 and 32 which in zero position are opposite each other.

A lever 58 rotatable about the shaft 15 fixes the adjusting wheels I by means of its nose 60. A pin 58a provided upon its upper end projects through a slot 581) of the rail 28b and is situated at the rear surface of the toothed rail 5|. During the upward movement of the rail 28b the pin 58a is pressed to the right by the cam 59 of the toothed rail 5|, the nose 60 being then removed from the teeth of the wheel I so as to release the adjusting wheels for new adjustments.

For adjustment purposes, the wheel segment I is turned until the desired numeral appears in print, and the segment 46, owing to the action of the spring 48, cooperates in this rotation and adjusts the wheels 29 and 5 to the same extent. The wheel 29 engages with its teeth the segmental gap 32 of the wheel 3|, whereupon the adjustment is effected, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The handle 29 with the rails 28a and 28b is then depressed and tensions the spring 52 in the manner described while simultaneously an impression is made upon an underlying surface. In response to spring action, the handle then moves up again, and the spring 52, by means of the toothed bar 5|, acts upon the wheel 50 to turn the shaft 69 on which the wheel 3| is positioned.

The wheel 62, also disposed on the shaft 69, is connected with the cam disc by means of the wheels 63 and 64. The adding mechanism is situated in a U-shaped casing 40 as shown in Figure 1. Each of the side walls of the casing 46 is provided with a shaft 10 rotatably mounted in the plates 24a and 241). A roller 66 which is in contact with a cam disc 65 is mounted in a side wall of the casing 40. When the shaft 69 begins to rotate, the casing 40 is rotated by its own weight around the shaft 10 due to the engagement of the roller 66 with the cam disc 65, whereby the wheel 42 of the adding mechanism is brought into engagement with the wheel 29, as shown in Fig. 6. Simultaneously, the wheel 3| with its segmental gap 32 moves past the wheel 29, at first without any effect, until finally it comes into engagement with the teeth of the wheel 29. The wheel 29 rotates the wheel 42 and the wheels 43, 44, 45 in the adding mechanism 4|), which serve for transferring and rendering visible the amount adjusted.

The spring 48 is tensioned in the course of the rotation by means of the segment 46. The wheel 29 is rotated until its gap 30 is situated opposite the teeth of the wheel 3|. Then the upper edge of the gap 30 of the wheel 29 will engage the circumference of the wheel 3| due to the action of the spring 48, as indicated in Fig. '7, whereby the transfer to the adding mechanism 40 is made.

After the transfer, the adding mechanism 40 is disengaged again by the cam disc 65, as shown in Fig. 4, and the shaft 69 continues to rotate until the initial position has been reached. when the shaft 69 along with the wheel 3| is moved into its original position, the wheel 29 with the segment 46 will be turned back to the adjusted position by the spring 48. To prevent a too rapid transfer a braking device is provided which acts upon the shaft 69. This device comprises a twoarmed lever 31, which is mounted in the casing 40 and is provided with two teeth 31b and 310 situated on both sides of the center of rotation 31a. The rotation of the lever 31 is limited by the two pins 31c and 31f. One of the teeth of the lever 31 is always in engagement with the toothed wheel 36, which is connected with the shaft 69 by means of the gear wheels 34 and 33. When the shaft 69 is rotated, the wheel 36 is also rotated counter-clockwise due to the upward movement of the rail 28b. In the position shown in Figure 3, the tooth 31b is out of engagement with the teeth of the wheel 36, whereby the tooth 310 is brought into engagement with the teeth of the wheel 36, due to the rotation of the lever 31 about the axis 31a. Then the tooth 310 is pushed away, whereby the tooth 31b is moved again, so that the lever 31 is continuously oscillated about its axis 31a. Due to this arrangement, the wheel 36 and, consequently, the shaft 69 are slowly rotated. Obviously, any suitable means may be used to achieve the same purpose.

The transfer of tens is effected in a known manner by feeding the next higher digit.

1 claim:-

1. A control stamp for bookkeeping purposes provided with an adding mechanism, comprising, in combination, a casing, means dividing said easing into several compartments, a stamping and adding mechanism in one of said compartments, a drive for the adding mechanism in another compartment, guide rails secured to the casing and permitting vertical downward motion of the stamping mechanism against spring action, spring actuated side rails vertically displaceable on said means dividing the casing, a handle connecting said side rails and adapted to be depressed, a plurality of adjusting and type wheels cooperating with said stamping mechanism, and spring-actuated locking means cooperating with said stamping mechanism and handle and disposed in a third compartment of said casing, said locking means being adapted to engage one another to hold the stamping mechanism in an inoperative raised position and to release it for printing only during depression of said handle.

2. A control stamp according to claim 1, wherein a spring connects the handle with the stamping mechanism, said spring being tensioned during depression of the handle and acting upon the stamping mechanism only after a predetermined time and after release of the locking means to cause the type wheels to effect printing.

3. A control stamp according to claim 1, wherein a control key insertable in the casing releases the handle for depression and adjusts a control type for printing.

4. A control stamp according to claim 1, wherein a control key insertable in the casing releases the handle for depression and adjusts a control type for printing, the stamping mechanism being locked again during withdrawal of said key.

5. A control stamp according to claim 1, wherein the wheels for adjusting the amount comprise two segments loosely coupled by a spring, one of said segments being blocked during the stamping and the other one being movable during transfer of the amount to the adding mechanism.

6. A control stamp according to claim 1, wherein the drive for the adding mechanism comprises a spring adapted to be tensioned by the depression of the handle.

FRANZ GRUTI'MANN. 

